The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has confirmed that Environmental Health Officers within the HSE issued four Closure Orders to food businesses during the month of January due to serious breaches of food safety legislation. These enforcement actions were taken under the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020, highlighting ongoing compliance issues within parts of the food service sector.
Of the four Closure Orders served, one was issued under the FSAI Act, 1998, while three were issued under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. Closure Orders are only applied in circumstances where there is a significant risk to public health, making these findings particularly concerning for both consumers and food business operators.
The reasons cited for the Enforcement Orders in January demonstrate a worrying lack of basic hygiene and food safety controls. These included rodent activity found in a ground-floor kitchen, heavy accumulations of grease deposits on ceiling tiles above a utensil wash sink, and a bucket containing brown unidentifiable liquid with white pipes found beneath a sink in a bar area.
Inspectors also observed walls, wall-floor junctions and doors in a main kitchen area that were heavily spattered with food and generally dirty throughout. In another case, a major leak from the ceiling in a kitchen area required multiple buckets to be placed on the floor and on food preparation surfaces. Unsafe food past its ‘use by’ dates was also found to have been placed on the market.
Commenting on the findings, FSAI Chief Executive Mr Greg Dempsey highlighted the importance of robust food safety systems in preventing such breaches.
He said: “Inspectors are finding recurring incidents of unhygienic practices and rodent infestations in food businesses. Implementing and maintaining a food safety management system is a basic requirement and should be of the highest importance for food businesses.
“Maintaining a clean premises is not a ‘nice to have’ - it is a basic legal requirement. All food businesses have a duty of care to their customers to serve food that is prepared in a clean premises and is safe to eat. There is no excuse for bad practice.”
These Closure Orders serve as a stark reminder that food safety compliance is not optional. Poor hygiene standards, ineffective pest control, inadequate cleaning regimes and failures in food safety management systems can all lead to enforcement action, reputational damage, loss of business and, most importantly, serious risks to public health.
Food business owners and managers should take this opportunity to review their current food safety practices, ensure their premises meet legal hygiene requirements, and confirm that staff are fully trained in food safety and HACCP principles. Regular audits, documented procedures and ongoing staff training are essential in maintaining compliance and protecting customers.
If your business requires onsite Food Safety/HACCP training for your team, SafeHands Health and Safety Solutions can provide practical, hands-on courses delivered directly at your premises. Our tailored programmes not only equip staff with the knowledge to meet their legal obligations, but also lead to recognised certification, giving you confidence that your team is fully compliant and audit-ready.
Contact SafeHands Health and Safety Solutions today to arrange onsite training and certification and protect your customers, your reputation and your business.